Sabai Sabai Fishing Park - Udon Thani

[Tafia]

Hi Tafia,
Give me a call or pm me and we can meet up at the park. You've been threatening to get strated for a while now.
I might pop down to your place tonight if the rain stays off, I also want to get some barbless hooks at the n/market.
Alfronso.

You're right, I have been threatening to get started and now Joy keeps on about it so I guess time is rapidly approaching, I've already explained to her she cant fish there with a net!!
I haven't been out for ages due to the weather so will nip in tonight.

[Shado]

jackspratt wrote: "Thanks Shado. I bought my reel (Mitchell Orca 80S Pro) with me from Oz. It is a beach/surf reel, and loaded with (from memory) 20lb line. Sounds like it might not be too much out of place at SS - hopefully I can hire a rod to suit it. If I enjoy the experience, I will look at buying my own rod here."

I've never rented any fishing tackle at Sabai Sabai but the rentals that I've seen there are rod and reel combos. I'm pretty sure that it would not be an issue if replaced the rental reel with your personal reel to test it out, but I'm also pretty sure that Paul will check this thread and give you a more definitive answer. In any event your reel (Mitchell Orca 80S Pro) should work nicely there.

[pongpong]

Alfronso

I have never actually seen barbless hooks in Thailand, I dont think Thai's understand the concept but easy enough with a set of pliers just flatten or break off the barb, its the best way to fish as in the whole the fish are returned to the water undamaged. As far as just renting a rod goes just explain to P (my wife) as she is back running the show and dont see any problem. On the heavy or light line I would say if experienced light for the fun if novice use heavier then you dont have to worry about turning the fishes head away from obstacles just hawl it in.

Paul.

[BobHelm]

I think you might need to tone down your casting with a kit intended for beach casting Jack!!
20 lbs line might be a bit on the weighty side too. Easy enough to buy new line at any of the fishing tackle places mentioned before - personally I use the one in the Night Market, but that is only because it is easy to park pre 4pm. & the shop is open. Something along the lines of 8-10 lbs is probably good enough most of the time. The kit that Paul rents out is a pretty good example of the type of stuff available in Udon. If you manage to get one of his more expensive reels then long casting is certainly easier than the very basic end of the market - but we are only talking 300 baht for a reel there!!

[Shado]

I think you might need to tone down your casting with a kit intended for beach casting Jack!!
20 lbs line might be a bit on the weighty side too. Easy enough to buy new line at any of the fishing tackle places mentioned before - personally I use the one in the Night Market, but that is only because it is easy to park pre 4pm. & the shop is open. Something along the lines of 8-10 lbs is probably good enough most of the time. The kit that Paul rents out is a pretty good example of the type of stuff available in Udon. If you manage to get one of his more expensive reels then long casting is certainly easier than the very basic end of the market - but we are only talking 300 baht for a reel there!!

Bob's advice works if you are primarily fishing for pla nin, pla tapian, pla duk and simialar sized fish. If you are targeting pla jerimid (pacu), pla sawai, pla coho or pla buek then the reel and line that you (jackspratt) have mentioned is the way to go. 9kg (20 lb) line is not too heavy for Sabai Sabai.

Sabai Sabai is a small lake. Casting distance does not come into play here. Casting accuracy is much more important so that you don't interfer with other anglers lines. The equipment that Paul has for rent will provide you with a pretty good guage of what works best. Your Mitchell reel, mounted on a good freshwater rod should serve you quite well.

[jackspratt]

Actually I was thinking of bringing the 4.5m beach rod back from Australia next month, together with a few of the rigs below. Are you suggesting it may be over the top Bob?

[BobHelm]

NO NO Jack!!!
Paul will kill you - you are breaking the single hook rule....

[Alfronso]

Just done what you said to do Paul, a set of pliers & the barb falls off no problem.
Hope your doing OK.
Alfronso.

[pongpong]

Alfronso

Arm no so good, but dont think I will need to come home, a few days ago very close to being medivacced out, but getting better nothing more I can do except keep taking the meds till final op in November.

I Love the flag you have by the way, will have to show me how to do!!

On a fishing Note, With no barb you have to keep the strain on the line all the time i.e. rod up or the fish will get off but glad you have changed over, The UK have these rules about barbless and it works great, I dont want our fish to turn into the ones on other Parks.

Kind Regards Paul

[rick]

On the question of barbless, i changed over a good 10 years ago in the UK. In my experience, with barbless, you hit more bites (because hook penetrates better) and also lose less fish, unless the battle is a long one (still only a few). I am sure i end up with more on the bank with barbless. The fact that unhooking is so much easier means that the fish have a much better survival rate if returning them. i would certainly not go back to barbed hooks.

[Wee Jimmy]

Had a good day today Paul;
Not one Geramid but plenty Panine, ( I saw others catch plenty Geramid). I went home with a good catch which your wife will verify. Yourself & nick were correct about barbless, my first day barbless and a better catch & a lot easier. Park was busy today.
Have had a broblem logging on this site & have changed my user name from Alfronso to ''Wee Jimmy''. Will keep the same Avitar.
Tafia, Johnty, & others username now changed.

Wee Jimmy.

[pongpong]

Jimmy,

Glad you had a good day out, I have told P to only rent out rods with Barbless hooks, if you use a barb not only do you damage the fish but they dont eat for a few days so spoils everyone elses enjoyment. you will have to teach me how to put on the flag aviator !!! when I get home in 2 weeks time, I have to go in to my second home first and get a check up as Elbow gone again. One day I will return to fishing but not for at least 6 months so they say so watching everyone else is the best I can do.

Seems my login is okay for now

Regards from Sunny Africa Paul

[Aardvark]

Am going to have my third try at finding this place today. Am sure I drove past it but could not see signs in English, or just missed because driving. I'm determined to find it

[Billg]

AA, look at the frontage picture on the second page of this thread, that is the best picture to what you should be looking for. No English signs there, but the red and white sign post is half way from the road to the main gate. Just slow down a bit and you should see it. Hope this helps?

Bill

[BobHelm]

Head towards the Nong Khai traffic lights on the bypass.
So if you are actually in Tesco you would need to take the first U turn back down the bypass that you come to.
The Nong Khai lights will then be the first set you come to, but you can left filter onto the Nong Khai road.
There are 3 petrol stations on the left hand side in pretty rapid succession within the first kilometre.
Immediately before the last of these there is a turning to the left.
Take this road, there are a few "lake restaurants" & other houses as you enter this road. Then there are no properties on either side of the road. The next property you see will be the fishing park (as in photo 5 above). Less than a kilometre up the road for certain..
They have equipment/bait for sale/rent so you do not actually need to take anything to get involved in the fishing...

AA try my directions above.
As Bill says once you are on the actual road it is pretty difficult to miss as there is nothing either side of the road for half a kilometer either side..

[wayne747]

Is the fishing done by bottom bait fishing, or do you have a float to keep the bait (worm ??) up in the water ?
Thx for advice on tackle and line strenght in previous posts

[Billg]

Wayne
I was there (spectator) last week and saw a guy bottom bait feeding using full chicken hearts and his keep net was full of 3 to 4 kilo sized fish. Its such a good venue you dont have to fish but walk around the ponds with a beer in hand and checking what the guys are catching.

Bill

[wayne747]

Chicken hearts !
Can you buy that on site, including hooks and tackle ? I've god rod and reel, but mainly bottom tackle for cod (North Sea) which is perhaps not right for put and take in Thailand ?

[rick]

I expect sabai sabai has some terminal tackle, but best to make a visit to a fishing tackle shop before you visit. There is one in the night market near the station. Rod and reel used for cod fishing may be a bit on the heavy duty side too, depending on what you are after at sabai sabai.

You can fish for tilapia (plaa Nin) which is a bit like perch fishing in UK, just need float tackle. Or try for the Pacu (plaa Jeramid), a bit bigger and like piranhas but partial to fruit. Also some big cats there.

[wayne747]

Thanks Rick.
I misspoke, I meant flounder fishing, not cod.
OK, I will check out the night market shop if need be.

What bait do you recommennd, and where do I get it ?

Does it work to spin with lures and wobblers ? Like perch fishing ?